


Color My World

by ChibiYoda



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Handwavy Tony Science, Humor, M/M, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros, This Is My Ship and It Has Wrecked Me, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-13
Packaged: 2018-03-10 22:37:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3305915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiYoda/pseuds/ChibiYoda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Candy hearts and roses done Tony's way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Color My World

**Author's Note:**

> Written last year for the 1 Million Words (LiveJournal) Valentine's challenge theme of "candy hearts and roses". I never actually posted it there, though.

When Bruce walked into his lab relatively early that morning, he was surprised to find Tony already there.

"How did you get down here so fast? Didn't I just leave you in the kitchen not two minutes ago?"

Tony turned to him, beaming. "Happy Valentine's Day Bruce!" He held a large heart-shaped box with a bow on it.

It was their first Valentine's together, and Bruce wasn't sure what to expect today. He blushed slightly as he took the red velvet box. "Thank you Tony. This is very sweet."

"Open it." Tony eagerly suggested.

"Well, it's a little early for candy, but I suppose one wouldn't hurt." 

Bruce proceeded to remove the cover. The first thing to hit him was that fact that the contents did not smell like chocolate. "What's this?"

Instead of the typical assortment of chocolate treats, each of the slots held a little pouch. Inside each of those was a sample of a flavored tea. There had to be at least 50 of them. 

Bruce was delighted by Tony's thoughtfulness. "What a neat idea! Thank you, this is great."

Tony was suitably pleased with the reaction. "Knew you'd like it."

"I have a little something for you, too." Bruce started. "I'm afraid it's not as clever, though."

He walked back to a locker, unlocked it, and took out a similar looking heart-shaped box.

Tony smiled in anticipation. He really hoped there wasn't tea in it. He could tolerate coffee, though. But he'd rather have... Bruce handed it to him and he untied the bow swiftly. "Yes!", he exclaimed. It was filled with a traditional mixture of chocolate goodies.

"I even had them remove the legend that tells what flavor each piece is. I know you like to be surprised."

"That's half the fun of it." Tony reasoned, as he bit into a piece. His expression suddenly turned sour. "Eww, what's that?" He tossed the half-eaten candy back into its slot in the box.

"If you had the guide, you'd know." Bruce reminded him.

"It was a rhetorical question, babe. I know I don't like that one. That's all I need to know." Tony smiled, and tried another. "Bingo, caramel!"

"Don't eat too many now. Pace yourself."

Sighing dramatically Tony quipped, "Yes dear."

As he watched Tony poke around at the candies, Bruce was suddenly reminded of something. "Say Tony, have you seen my glasses? I swore I left them on the nightstand last night, but they weren't there when I got up."

Tony grinned mischievously. "Actually, I have them right here." He sauntered over to a nearby workstation.

Suspicious, Bruce peered at him. "What did you do?"

"You'll see." Tony brought the glasses to Bruce. "Anyone can get a guy roses for Valentine's Day, but I did one better. Put 'em on."

Bruce looked them over. They appeared unharmed. Then he put them on. Oh.

Tony continued, "I made it so that you could look at the world... "

"...through rose-colored glasses." Bruce finished.

Tony had managed to have the lenses tint everything a rosy-pink, though the glass itself was not colored. The effect was most prominent on objects that were pale to begin with.

"This is very interesting." Bruce wandered around, looking at things. He didn't have the heart to mention that items that were already pinkish in color now appeared a sickly shade of Pepto Bismol.

"Don't worry, it's only temporary. The effect should wear off in less than 24 hours."

Bruce was now at the sprawling window in the kitchen area. "Wow" was all he could manage, as the bright sky caught his eye. The clouds were quite beautifully tinged pink. Similar to how they occasionally appear at dawn or dusk. "Did you see this?"

"The clouds? Yeah. Nice, huh?" Tony was glad that Bruce gave the glasses a chance.

"I'm cooking for you tonight." Bruce still watched the clouds drift by, barely aware that he'd changed the subject. "I know we didn't talk about it, but..."

This revelation caught Tony off guard. "Oh. That sounds like fun, but no need for you to go through the trouble. I already made us a reservation." He was a man with a plan this day, and that plan now had a large monkey-wrench tangled in it.

"I insist. It'll be nice. Just the two of us, for a change. I've arranged for us not to be disturbed. The restaurants will be so crowded today. Give the table to some poor fool who's gonna ask his girlfriend to marry him."

Bruce hadn't meant anything by the comment. It was merely an observation that this was a day when many couples got engaged. Let them have the fancy restaurant tonight. He and Tony could eat there anytime.

When he got no response, he turned from the window. Tony was standing quietly in the middle of the room. Something was off.

"I didn't know you found the idea of marriage foolish." Tony quickly averted his eyes from Bruce's gaze.

'Oh crap', Bruce thought. He valiantly attempted to get the foot he'd inserted into his mouth back onto the floor where it belonged. "No...I...I don't." he stammered. "There's nothing wrong with marriage. It's fine. It's great, actually. I was just being a sarcastic ass."

Tony strolled over until he was face to face with Bruce. He carefully removed the glasses, and tucked them in his shirt pocket. He looked Bruce squarely in the eye, unblinking, while speaking low and purposefully. "That's good to know, Dr. Banner." He waited exactly two beats, then completely changed course and tone. "Now, why don't you try a tea, and I'll take my chances with another chocolate!" Tony clapped Bruce on the shoulder, then bounded back in the direction of the candy.

Bruce was left standing at the window, bewildered. He really had no clear idea what might be going on in Tony's mind, or what that little exchange truly meant. Just when he thinks he has a fairly good grasp of the inner workings of Tony Stark, the man finds a way to leave him guessing. He was still lost in thought when Tony appeared before him once again.

"Here, taste this one. Seems like some flavor you would know."

Bruce willingly obliged, letting Tony place the candy in his mouth. He watched as Tony continued to rummage through the velvet box.

Tony might be a puzzle, but Bruce knew that the completed image was just as breathtaking as those clouds at sunset.


End file.
